NEW YORK - Will Ken Jennings ever lose? Not anytime soon. The"Jeopardy!" quiz master won his 38th straight game on Friday, shatteringa one-day record by earning $75,000.

Now his fans - and foes - have to wait while the show goes on hiatusuntil September.

Jennings, the 30-year-old Utah software engineer, has earned $1,321,660during his nearly two-month stint. He's become an unlikely TV star,visiting Jay Leno on the "Tonight" show Thursday, and made geeks chic.

"Jeopardy!" goes into reruns starting next Monday. But new shows willresume on Sept. 6, and Jennings will be there to defend hischampionship.

Three times, Jennings purposely tied the one-day record of $52,000 withcarefully calculated wagers on Final Jeopardy. On Friday, he approachedthe "Final Jeopardy" question having already earned $51,400.

Asked to name two of the four Shakespeare plays in which ghosts appearonstage, Jennings correctly answered "Hamlet" and "Richard III."

Then he revealed his bet: $23,600.

"Will it never end for this talented young man?" host Alex Trebek said."We'll have to wait awhile to find out."

Jennings, who lives in Salt Lake City and is married with a 1-year-oldson, is a Mormon who has already promised to tithe 10 percent of hiswinnings to his church.

"Jeopardy!" used to require its champions to leave after winning fivetimes, but last year changed its rules to allow players to continueuntil they are beaten. Jennings has beaten 76 challengers.

While "Jeopardy!" producers will have to write Jennings a big check,that rules change has paid off: the game show's ratings have jumped by50 percent during his reign.